Articles
The Truth of the Empty Tomb
No life in human history matters more than the life of Jesus Christ. His birth, life, and death are deeply significant—not only because of what He taught or how He lived, but because of what happened next: His resurrection.
Jesus rose from the dead, just as He said He would. And because of that, He truly is the Savior He claimed to be. His resurrection proves that His death on the cross was not in vain. It assures us that our sins are washed away and that we have a living High Priest who now intercedes for us before the Father, securing our continual forgiveness.
That moment—the discovery of the empty tomb—is the most triumphant event in human history. It is not just a beautiful story from long ago. It is the cornerstone of our faith, the very reason we live with hope and joy today.
Let us take a fresh look at this life-changing truth:
1. The Women at the Tomb
Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome made their way to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. They didn’t know how they would roll away the heavy stone at the entrance, but their love for Jesus compelled them to go anyway.
To their surprise, the stone had already been rolled away. God had gone before them, removing the obstacle they could not move on their own. Inside, they were met not by a body, but by an angel who said, “He has risen; He is not here.” (Mark 16:6)
Mary Magdalene would be the first to see the risen Jesus (John 20). She wept, thinking the body had been taken, until she heard Him call her by name. In that moment, she knew it was Jesus—alive, just as He promised.
Why does this detail matter? Because in that culture, women were not considered reliable witnesses. If the gospel writers were inventing a story, they would not have chosen women as the first witnesses. But the gospel writers weren’t trying to craft a believable tale—they were telling the truth, no matter how surprising.
2. The Apostles Transformed
At first, the apostles didn’t believe the women’s report. They were grieving, confused, and afraid. But everything changed when they, too, encountered the risen Jesus. These once fearful men became bold proclaimers of the resurrection—even to the point of death.
People may die for what they believe is true, but not for something they know to be false. The apostles gave their lives for this truth because they knew Jesus had risen. Their transformation is compelling evidence of the resurrection.
3. The Resurrection is the Foundation of Our Faith
As Paul wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:14)
But Christ has been raised. That changes everything. As C.S. Lewis famously said, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
4. The Resurrection Guarantees His Promises
If Jesus kept His promise to rise from the grave, then we can trust Him to keep every other promise as well:
- “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2)
- “I will come again and take you to myself” (John 14:3)
- “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16)
These promises are guaranteed by the truth of the empty tomb.
5. Will You Trust Him?
Because the tomb is empty, we have hope. Because Jesus lives, we can face each day with courage. And because He has kept His promises, we can trust Him completely—with our lives and our eternity.
So we ask: Will you trust and follow Jesus?
Let’s walk forward in faith, living in the victory of the resurrection and sharing this good news with a world in need of hope.
